2814 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 11 / Thursday, January 16, 2014 / Notices 

submitted by mail or internet available 

for viewing on the Regulations.gov 

(www.regulations.gov) Internet site. 

Comments submitted will also be 

available for public inspection in person 

at USDA–AMS, Transportation and 

Marketing Programs, Marketing Services 

Division, Room 4523-South Building, 

1400 Independence Ave. SW., 

Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon 

and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, (except official Federal 

holidays). Persons wanting to visit the 

USDA South Building to view 

comments received are requested to 

make an appointment in advance by 

calling (202) 720–8317. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Direct Marketing 

Title: Local Food Directories and 

Survey. 

OMB Number: 0581–New. 

Expiration Date of Approval: Three 

years from approval. 

Type of Request: New collection for 

three additional marketing channels for 

local food. 

Abstract: Under the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 

U.S.C. 1621 et seq.), AMS is responsible 

for conducting research to enhance 

market access for small-and medium 

sized farmers. The role of the Marketing 

Services Division (MSD) of AMS is to 

facilitate distribution of U.S. 

agricultural products. The division 

identifies marketing opportunities, 

provides analysis to help take advantage 

of those opportunities and develops and 

evaluates solutions including improving 

farmers markets and other direct-to 

consumer marketing activities. 

On-farm markets, community 

supported agriculture (CSAs) as well as 

food hubs comprise an integral part of 

the urban/farm linkage and have 

continued to rise in popularity, mostly 

due to the growing consumer interest in 

obtaining fresh products directly from 

the farm. The use of these marketing 

channels has enabled farmers to receive 

a larger share of consumer’s food dollar. 

On-farm markets, community supported 

agriculture (CSAs) and food hubs allow 

consumers to have access to locally 

grown, farm fresh produce, enables 

farmers the opportunity to develop a 

personal relationship with their 

customers, and cultivate consumer 

loyalty with the farmers. They are also 

providing greater access to fresh locally 

grown fruits and vegetables, as well as 

playing increasing role in encouraging 

healthier eating. 

An on-farm market is an area of a 

facility affiliated with a farm where 

transactions between a farm market 

operator and customers take place. An 

on-farm market may operate seasonally 

or year-round. On-farm markets are an 

important component of direct 

marketing, adding value by offering 

customers a visit to the farm and the 

opportunity to purchase products from 

the people who grew them. 

CSA is a another type of foodproduction and direct marketing 

relationship between a farmer or farmers 

and a group consumers who purchase 

‘‘shares’’ of the season’s harvest in 

advance of the growing season. The upfront working capital generated by 

selling shares reduces the financial risk 

to the farmer(s). Generally farmers 

receive better prices for their crops and, 

reduced marketing costs. Consumers 

benefit by receiving weekly delivery of 

fresh locally-grown fruits, vegetables, 

meats, eggs and other produce. They 

also benefit from the ability to 

collectively support the sustainability of 

local farmers. 

Food hub is a business or organization 

that actively manages the aggregation, 

distribution, and marketing of sourceidentified food products primarily from 

local and regional producers to 

strengthen their ability to satisfy 

wholesale, retail, and institutional 

demand. This marketing channel also 

allows farm operators to capture a larger 

share of consumers’ food dollar. 

This information will be used to build 

three web-based directories and 

describe the characteristics of on-farm 

markets, CSAs, and food hubs and to 

identify trends in their communities. 

Topic areas in the survey: 

—Characteristics and history of on-farm 

markets, CSAs and food hubs, 

—types of products sold, including 

fresh, locally-grown produce, 

—location of the markets, 

—special events, 

—marketing methods, 

—participation in federal programs 

designed to increase consumption of 

fresh fruits, and vegetables. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 0.167 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Farm operators that 

operate on-farm stores, operators of 

Community Supported Agriculture, 

(CSA’s), farm operations, and operators 

of food hubs. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

56,750. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

2,125. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: .037. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 355 hours. 

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (3) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (4) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

the use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

The information collected is used 

only by authorized employees of the 

USDA, AMS. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

become a matter of public record. 

Dated: January 10, 2014. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–00767 Filed 1–15–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. #AMS–CN–13–0091] 

Recommendations of Advisory 

Committee on Universal Cotton 

Standards 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) held meetings of the 

Universal Cotton Standards Advisory 

Committee in Raleigh, North Carolina 

on June 19, 20 and 21, 2013. This notice 

announces the Advisory Committee’s 

recommendation to adopt USDA’s HVI 

(High Volume Instrument) Cotton Trash 

Standards as Universal Standards and to 

change the frequency of Universal 

Cotton Standards Conferences from 

once every three years to once every 

four years. The meeting agenda, 

minutes, and recommendations from the 

Advisory Committee are posted at the 

following Web address: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ 

AdvisoryCommitteeonUniversal

Standards. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 18, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments concerning 


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 11 / Thursday, January 16, 2014 / Notices 2815 

the Advisory Committee’s 

recommendation using the following 

procedures: 

• Internet: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

• Mail: Comments may be submitted 

by mail to: Darryl Earnest, Deputy 

Administrator, Cotton & Tobacco 

Programs, AMS, USDA, 3275 Appling 

Road, Room 11, Memphis, TN 38133. 

Comments should be submitted in 

triplicate. All comments should 

reference the docket number and the 

date and the page of this issue of the 

Federal Register. All comments will be 

available for public inspection during 

regular business hours at Cotton & 

Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 3275 

Appling Road, Memphis, TN 38133. A 

copy of this notice may be found at: 

www.ams.usda.gov/cotton/ 

rulemaking.htm. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James Knowlton, Designated Federal 

Official, Cotton & Tobacco Programs, 

AMS, USDA, 3275 Appling Road, Room 

5, Memphis, TN 38133. Telephone (901) 

384–3030, facsimile (901) 384–3032, or 

email Telephone (901) 384–3030, or 

email: James.Knowlton@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The purpose of the Universal Cotton 

Standards Advisory Committee is to 

consider any necessary changes to the 

Universal Cotton Standards and to 

review and approve freshly prepared 

sets of the Universal Cotton Grade 

Standards for conformity with the 

existing standards. 

At the Universal Cotton Standards 

Conference on June 19–21, 2013, the 

Advisory Committee recommended 

revising the Universal Cotton Standards 

Agreement in regards to its 

recommendations of adopting a 

Universal HVI Cotton Trash Standard 

and changing the frequency of Universal 

Cotton Standards Conferences from 

once every three years to once every 

four years. 

The Universal Cotton Standards 

Agreement is an Agreement between 

USDA, the U.S. cotton industry and 

overseas cotton associations of 

merchants and textile manufacturers 

that provides for the trading of U.S. 

cotton on the official standards of the 

U.S. for Upland cotton. Adoption of the 

Universal HVI Cotton Trash Standard 

will ensure that the USDA’s cotton trash 

measurement serves as the 

internationally accepted universal 

language for cotton trash measurements. 

Adoption of the frequency of Universal 

Cotton Standards Conferences to be held 

once every four years will provide 

improved cost efficiency while 

continuing to provide the necessary 

framework for future considerations to 

the Universal Cotton Standards. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 51–65. 

Dated: January 10, 2014. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–00757 Filed 1–15–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request—Form FNS–245, 

Negative QC Review Schedule 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on the 

proposed collection. 

Form FNS–245, is currently used in 

the Quality Control process for the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program. This is a revision of a 

currently approved collection in the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program and concerns the Negative QC 

Review Schedule. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before March 17, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information has practical utility; (b) the 

accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the 

burden of the proposed collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

through the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments may be sent to: Patrick 

Lucrezio, Chief, Quality Control Branch, 

Program Accountability and 

Administration Division, Food and 

Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, 

Room 822, Alexandria, VA 22302. You 

may also download an electronic 

version of this notice at http://

www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/regulations/

default.htm and comment via email at 

SNAPHQ-Web@fns.usda.gov or use the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

All written comments will be open for 

public inspection at the FNS office 

located at 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 

822, Alexandria, VA 22302, during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. Monday through Friday). All 

responses to this notice will be included 

in the request for Office of Management 

and Budget approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information, 

copies or to view a draft version of the 

information collection form and 

instructions should be directed to SNAP 

QC at SNAPHQ-QCIC@fns.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Negative Quality Control 

Review Schedule. 

OMB Number: 0584–0034. 

Form Number: FNS–245. 

Expiration Date: December 31, 2016. 

Type of Request: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Form FNS–245, Negative Case Action 

Review Schedule: 

Abstract: Form FNS–245, Negative 

Case Action Review Schedule, is 

designed to collect quality control (QC) 

data and serve as the data entry form for 

Negative case action QC reviews in the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP). New QC procedures 

for Negative cases (now referred to as 

Case and Procedural cases) went into 

effect for the 2012 QC review year. State 

agencies complete form FNS–245 for 

each Negative Case in their QC sample. 

SNAP has determined the form 

associated with the reporting of these 

cases needs to be updated to reflect the 

new name and reorganized in order to 

not only streamline the data elements 

being reported, but to also add nine data 

elements to more effectively and 

efficiently record what is now being 

reviewed. By streamlining the form’s 

elements to make it more efficient, the 

additional elements are not expected to 

increase the collection’s burden on State 

Agencies using the form. We are also 

requesting to rename this information 

collection from ‘‘Negative QC Review 

Schedule’’ to ‘‘Case and Procedural 

Quality Control Review Schedule’’. 

The reporting and recordkeeping 

burden associated with the completion 

of form FNS–245, has decreased from 

approximately 177,351 hours to 

121,784.1602 hours. The decrease in 

total burden is largely a result of the 


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